Stranger saves teen's life after he collapsed at Sterling Heights restaurant

STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. (WJBK) - A father and his 15-year-old son were out having breakfast when the teen suddenly collapsed. Robert had no pulse and he wasn't breathing.

Then, a fellow diner came to the rescue.

"They said I am luckiest person. Shoot, if that lady wasn't there to save me I would be gone," says Robert Brown III. On August 26, he was in the middle of filling out a job application to work at the Country Cabin Restaurant in Sterling Heights when all of a sudden he collapsed from a heart attack.

"Just seeing him on the ground, my baby, I couldn't believe what was going on," said Robert Brown II, his father.

Video recorded from inside the restaurant captured the chaos. Luckily, a woman nearby sprang into action and performed CPR until emergency crews arrived.

The team effort helped bring Brown back. Incredibly, he tells us while he was unconscious he saw his mother -- who died from the same congenital heart defect when Brown was just 5 years old.

"I saw the brightest light and all I heard was, 'What is your name?' I just told them my name," he says. "Next thing I know I got shocked in my heart and I woke up."

The 15-year-old was rushed to the hospital where he eventually received a pacemaker. Brown is back at Dearborn Heights Annapolis High School to begin his freshman year.

And remember that job he applied for?

"They are probably scared it might happen again. I hope I get it," he told us.

But -- while FOX 2 was interviewing him -- Brown found out he got it.

"I wanted to hire him even before any of that happened. He seemed like a cool kid," said business owner Rico Gjonaj.

Brown and his father desperately want to thank the woman who saved his life. Doctors told him he survived because of the continued CPR.

Sterling Heights police, fire and the Browns want to thank this woman they call a hero.

"I'm truly grateful," his dad says. "Again, if she's out there and she listening, I would definitely love to see her meet her again, give her a big hug, tell her I love her thank you for what you did."

"I just want her to come see me," Robert says. "I am just happy she saved my life. I just want to see her one more time."